


Loop

by GalekhXigisi



Category: The Hollow (Cartoon)
Genre: Blood, Gender Dysphoria, Hospitals, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Injury, No Beta We Die Like Skeet, Trans Kai (the Hollow), Transphobia, gustaf does somethin abt it, ocs for plot conveniencey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:07:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24228580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GalekhXigisi/pseuds/GalekhXigisi
Relationships: Kai & The Weird Guy (The Hollow)
Comments: 21
Kudos: 77





	1. Free Time Intro

In all of Gustaf’s life, there was simply always one constant. And that one constant was simple; He was always busy. 

So, with that being said, being left without his one constant, there’s a lot of time he has to reflect on what in the Hell he’s doing. 

He had taken the servers down, which, in the end, had been amounted to a technical error and not Gustaf’s, which the man was  _ incredibly _ thankful for, not that he voiced it to anyone else. He couldn’t, anyway. For the time being, they were just trying to set up a new server, which would subsequently put the other ones out of order and make new ones for the new players. It was good for the new kids and the old. 

But there was an issue with the older kids, and that specific issue being a topic that he doubted anyone really wanted to tackle. But, quite frankly, Gustaf was certain it had to be at some point, because what he had seen was far more than just a little alarming. 

It was true that he had access to the entire game. He had access to anything and everything. With that being said, it meant he could see everything that happened inside a session. He had viewed over the session from the kids before, wanting to see what was going, if he could find out what caused the bug to even begin with. However, within that, he had managed to see into a life that wasn’t his own. 

And it had sparked so much worry within Gustaf that he almost wanted to scream. After all, how much did someone have to fuck a kid up for the kid to have a flashback once his friends started to fight? 

Kai had been in the game the round before, which Gustaf was very aware of. The kid constantly pelted out jokes and seemed to get along well enough with Mira and Adam, despite being just added into their group (seriously,  _ just _ added in). From what he had just seen during the ghost train bit, that kid seriously had a lot to work through. Which meant Gustaf  _ also _ had a lot to work through. 

He couldn’t just fucking  _ leave the kid there! _ He wasn’t going to be part of a cycle of turning a blind eye towards the obvious abuse going on within the household. He even wondered how he hadn’t caught it earlier, between the jumpiness and the obvious comedic relief he constantly managed to play. That certainly wasn’t anything healthy, not anything at all. 

Which is what leads him to now, sitting on the phone with one of his many lawyers, discussing what he believes may or may not be an abusive situation that will need to be handled. 


	2. glass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kai's day is just very Not Great. 
> 
> Also, he's trans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some warnings, I'm not even sure if it's all of them: transphobia, gender dysphoria, blood, vomit mention

Really, Kai did not wake up in the morning with high expectations. He never did, seriously, because there simply wasn’t much to expect. His parents had come home the night before, both already screaming as they walked in, something about Kai that the boy had ducked his head and stopped listening to once he heard the slur leave his mother’s lips and the stench of alcohol that wafted off of his parents’ clothing hit his nose. He had gone to his room and fallen deathly silent, already trained into obedience and sticking away from confrontation. 

He didn’t know where his parents were when he got up, but he could hear Davis shuffling down the halls. It was odd, really. Davis didn’t work when his parents were home, which was one of the few consistencies in Kai’s life. Had they left again? Or had they just called him in to clean up the mess they left once they got back? 

He ran a hand through his hair, forcing himself up. He’d rather just lay in bed for the next seven hours, but he had classes, online classes that his parents forced him to do. He couldn’t think of a time he had been to public school, or really much public _anything._ Sure, his parents had allowed him to occasionally go out and get donuts or talk to Miles, but that was _different._ More often than not, it was short trips, no stopping allowed between the activities. He never stayed long, anyway. 

The light that came with The Hollow was short-lived. The group of three hadn’t _disbanded,_ per se, but there was… A definite change, one that he’s sure the others have noticed, too. Adam and Reeve talked to each other, which was funny because Kai wasn’t even aware they were friends, to even begin with. Not to mention, Skeet and Mira were both friends already, and wherever the two went, Vanessa always followed. And, within all of that, Adam had let slip after a particularly heated discussion with Reeve that left him fuming that the only reason Kai ended up on their team was because he was there and available. 

That had hurt a lot more than Kai wanted to let on. He distinctly remembered the excitement of being picked by the two, who had happily extended their hands out to him just a day before the game, which was good because Kai had been wanting to try the game out since it first started. He had practically screamed at Davis, bouncing up and down, arms flailing with his movements, though it all muted once he saw his parents, getting stamped down within an instant. The only reason he was allowed to go was because his father figured he should get out of the house for just a bit, explaining to his wide the possibilities of taking up a share of The Hollow if they got the chance to. 

He forced himself to take a shower, lights flipped off. He was prepared to deal with his parents yelling, if they were still home. However, he wasn’t ready to deal with his dysphoria just yet, so, instead, he fell silent, washing himself off on autopilot. 

Getting dressed went about the same way getting a shower did. He was quick, toweling himself off and grabbing his clothes. He was quick to throw them on, wanting nothing more than to conceal himself and get all of this over with. 

A knock sounded at his door as soon as he pulled his shirt over his head, immediately calling, “Come in!” Only one person knocked on his door, the only person in the house who didn’t seem to have a personal vendetta against him. 

It was honestly pretty comforting to watch Davis slip into the room, holding himself high in the same respectful way he always does. “Master Kai, your parents have requested your presence for breakfast,” the man told the boy, brows furrowing slightly. 

“I’m asking this as a friend and not as someone you technically work for,” Kai began, inhaling slowly, “Do they seem angry to you?” 

Davis seemed to perk up at hearing that Kai thought of him as a friend, though it diminished as soon as he heard the actual question at hand. While he had never actually seen any of the abuse that went on behind closed doors, he had seen tidbits of the aftermath, wounds left behind from fights, the way he would flinch and tense up at certain things. The butler had always wanted nothing more than to get Kai the Hell out of the house, though there wasn’t anything he could do as of current. They were his source of income, obviously, so there was only so much he could do when he’d been there for the small family since Kai’s parents first wedded. 

“They don’t seem as angry as last night,” he supplied in a low voice, one that Kai recognized as him trying to politely say that they were _fucking pissed._

The boy bit the inside of his cheek, but nodded slowly, accepting his answer. “Are you going home after this,” he quietly asked. 

Davis nodded, expression a bit sad as he admitted, “Yes. They only called me in for an hour shift and made sure to make that clear.” 

Kai found himself nodding once more, voice quiet as he said, “Alright, thanks.” 

Davis hummed and turned on his heels, not needing to say anything else as he left the boy’s room. Today was not going to be a good day. 

  
  
  


As it turned out, Kai was _very_ correct, which was very unfortunate for the redhead. He stared at the table, doing his best to ignore his mother’s yelling for the time being. 

“Look at her! She looks like a boy,” she screams, standing up suddenly. Her chair gets thrown back in reply to her sudden movements. 

“So what if she wants to be a boy?” His father yells back, standing up, too. His chair topples to the ground. 

“She’s a _girl!”_

His father turns towards him, his fork pointed at the youngest in the household. He accusingly asks him, “Skyler, are you a girl or not?” 

Kai freezes at his words, grip tightening on the glass he had picked up. He was about to take a drink of his orange juice, though he stops at his father’s question. He asks, “What?” 

His mother slams her cup down, yelling, “You can’t just ask her if she’s a girl!” 

“And why can’t I?’ 

“Because then she’ll say she’s a boy!” 

“Well, maybe she _is_ a boy!” 

And it happens fast, almost too fast for Kai to even notice. He can barely see the glass going forward, frozen in his spot as it flies towards him. The spot of impact is obvious, the cup shattering beneath his gaze. The glass explodes and Kai’s breathing quickens at the pain that floods through him, a loud yelp leaving him as he stands up, jerking away from the table. His hand reflexively opens and he almost starts sobbing at the blood that fills his vision. 

“Look what you fucking did,” his father is screaming at his mother, but Kai isn’t really listening as the orange juice floods into the new wounds. 

His own cup had shattered from the impact of his mother’s cup. He couldn’t breathe as he brought a hand up to pick out the larger shards, but they were wedged rather deep. He felt light-headed, only a few steps away from vomiting. 

_“Fuck,”_ his mom wails, “Now we have to take him to the hospital!” 

“Oh, so _now_ you’re calling her a boy?” 

As it appeared, Kai passed out before he could throw up. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahaha fuck  
> also I kind of took some heavy inspo from some of my old Boku No Hero Academia fics
> 
> PLEASE leave comments! I love them!


	3. Water stains on the ceiling

Kai’s eyes focus on the ceiling, fixating on the darker patch caused by what he’s pretty sure is water damage. He’s seen his own fair share of water-damaged homes that his parents like to renovate and remodel for extra cash on the side, not that Kai goes on projects with them anymore. He remembers scenes like it, though. His eyes don’t truly focus on the spot, though, every single thing blurring around it outside of the singular dot from the water. He breathes slowly, keeping himself composed despite the situation. 

It’s nothing new, not for the young redhead. He stayed silent, listened to the nurses, blocked out the pain that flowed within waking up, continuing on with whatever in the hell the nurses insisted happen. He didn’t say a singular word to the nurses. One of them, a redhead named Julia that he saw almost every single time he was in the hospital, had frowned at seeing him, whispering quiet apologies as she idly spoke to him, distracting him from the loneliness that had overtaken him. She was kind, always listening to him when he would fixate while in the hospital. She would smile and nod along, even getting into any of the interests that he was particularly stuck on. She had even introduced him to The Hollow during one of his visits. 

She wasn’t here now, admitting to him that apparently Child Protective Services would be coming in to speak with him, a possible child abuse case brought up by someone, though she wasn’t aware of who it was. She had given him a sympathetic smile before making her leave. That had been exactly seventeen minutes ago. Now, the silence seems to be invading everything and pressing its way into his mind without remorse for the young redhead. He can’t say he minds it all that much, though. Silence is never half bad when he’s used to so many violent nights, used to the ones that invade his mind and burn their way into his memories, never going to disappear. 

There comes a soft knock at the door, followed by a tall woman walking in, blonde hair pulled into a tight ponytail. She has on a suite, her heels distinctly clicking against the marbled hospital floor. She smiles softly as she greets him. “Hello, Skyler, my name is Jennifer, but you can call me JJ.” 

“Hello, ma’am,” he says in soft reply. He doesn’t bother to correct her when it comes to his name, just focusing up at the ceiling and listening as she asks if she can sit down. He nods, not verbally answering. 

“I’m with Child Protective Services,” she admits, slightly leaning forward. She doesn’t have a clipboard or anything, just herself and what he thinks is a phone in her pocket, though he can’t be entirely sure. “I was sent to investigate a claim of child abuse, but it was reported you were transported to the hospital for a severe injury before I got the chance to check out the situation.” She keeps her voice leveled and kind as she explains the situation. For some reason, Kai feels like it’s genuine, the kindness and hinted at worry in her voice. It almost makes hi frown, but he withholds it for keeping his expression neutral. “Would you be able to answer a few questions for me, kiddo?” 

He nods. He almost feels obligated to be truthful with her. 

She smiles at him, nodding herself. “Alright, Skyler. Answer as truthfully as you can, okay? I promise that I’ll do everything to ensure that you’re safe, no matter what happens.” 

He nods once more, this time in his own promise to stay as close to the truth as he can. 

“Did one of your parents cause the injury to your hand today?” She gestures at his bandaged hand with a wave of her pen. He has no idea where she pulled it from. 

He frowns slightly, eyes flickering towards his hand for a split second before falling back to the ceiling. “Kind of.” 

She repeats in a confused tone, “Kind of?” 

“My mom threw her cup and it hit mine, which made my cup break.” He makes vague gestures with his good hand as he speaks. “I don’t think it was on purpose, though.” 

“Do things like this normally happen?” 

“THrowing cups?” 

“I suppose throwing cups, yes.” 

“Then… Yeah. It’s pretty common. My mom gets angry a lot.” 

“Does she usually focus on taking her anger out on you?” 

“No, not really unless I’m around. It’s usually just her and my dad traveling, I stay at home.” 

She nods, lips pursing. “Do they typically invite you to go with them?” 

“No. Not anymore.” 

“Do they travel often?” 

“They’re almost always gone, yeah.” 

“Is there anyone there who normally takes care of you?” 

“My parents’ butler, Mister Davis. He’s pretty nice.” 

“Is he?” 

“Yeah. He makes sure I eat and sleep at least three hours a night, too, so that’s super great.” he smiles slightly at the thought of the other. 

“Do your parents not typically make sure you’ve eaten?” 

The redhead softly scoffs, shaking his head. “No?” he more asks than anything, confused as to why they would be making sure he would eat. They were rarely ever home and when they were, there was more time spent fighting than anything. Kai would make himself scarce and wait it out to eat. It was pretty annoying given his high metabolism and the sudden nauseated stim around eating when his parents were home. Their presences filled him with nauseating anxiety, anyway. 

She changes the topic, asking, “What’s your father like?” 

“He’s not too bad. He calls me the right name and calls me his son, too. He fusses at my mom if she calls me anything else.” 

“Do you want to be called his son?” 

“Yeah.” 

“And your name would be?...” 

“Kai.” 

“Alright, Kai. And what are your parents like together?” 

He slightly brightens, smiling lightly at the other calling him the correct name, feeling a moment of happiness overtaking him before he answers the question on hand, letting his expression fall into something much more muted, training it down. “They’re always yelling, always fighting and throwing stuff. Even since I was a kid, they’ve always fought. My mom gets so angry and my dad always fights her back. It’s so much worse if I’m with them, too.” he sighs quietly, almost in defeat. “It’s pretty annoying,” 

“Do your friends know about your parents?” 

He shakes his head. “No, my friends are pretty new and none of them have been over. I’m not really allowed to have friends over, either, especially if my parents are home. I don’t really talk to them too much and the only person that comes over is my friend’s brother, and we usually play videogames.” 

The woman nods once more, smiling politely at the redhead as she stands. “Thank you, Kai. I’ll be back soon to chat with you, okay?” 

Kai nods and gives an affirming hum. “Alright. It was nice talking with you.” 

“You, too.” She smiles politely as she makes her leave.

The room falls back into its silence once the door is closed. For some reason, the redhead feels so painfully drained, sighing quietly. He’s vaguely aware that the next few hours are going to be incredibly draining. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A homie sleepy but I wanted to post this. 
> 
> Also, yes, JJ is a reference to Criminal Minds because I really love her.

**Author's Note:**

> This wasn't supposed to be more than a oneshot thanks but I decided fuck it, might as well go all in on this bs
> 
> Here's my Discord server!  
> https://discord.gg/eGkwayy


End file.
